Vehicle related air pollution down: Delhi govt

In the last 24 hours, 7,000 more people have downloaded the Poochh-o app, showing that Delhi is supporting the local government’s even-odd scheme to limit the private four wheelers on the road, said Gopal Rai, Delhi Transport Minister.

As on January 4, the number of people downloading the app stood at 25,000. “With additional 7,000, the total has gone up to 32,000,” the Minister said, adding that “We are getting questions about Delhi becoming congestion-free, but pollution data is not reflecting the same. People have the right to get an answer.”

The difference in air quality parameters of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee arise because they use different methodologies, he said.

“Delhi Pollution Control Board data for January 4 shows that as you move closer to Central Delhi, such as Jangpura from borders, there is an improvement,” said Rai.

Delhi Pollution Control Committee has collected data from 55 locations till now, a data collection that did not happen earlier.

The ambient air data collected by teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee through mobile dust samplers using Light Scattering Technique at 20 locations in peripheral areas of Delhi shows a definitive declining trend in the levels of particulate matter 2.5 (in dg/m3) – a major source is vehicular pollution. In 13 of these 20 locations, the PM 2.5 level has been recorded at less than 300, which proves reduction in comparison to previous years at the same time by at least 100 units.

According to the scientists of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, 80 per cent of PM2.5 air pollution is caused by vehicular traffic and reduction in its levels, even in outer areas of Delhi shows that reduction of four wheeled vehicles on roads since the New Year Day is having a positive impact. Delhi will release data on Particulate Matter 1, after 15 days.

Meanwhile, passenger traffic on DTC has increased – with 40.63 lakh people taking to DTC buses on January 4 against an average ridership of 35,000.

Similarly, 38 lakh people used the DTC system on (January 1 and 2) Friday and Saturday, and 33 lakh on January 3 (Sunday).

On a long term, construction of the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway around Delhi will help clean up the Delhi air by diverting truck traffic. Delhi government has already shared with the Centre over ₹600 crore of the project cost that was required. UP and Haryana were also supposed to share part of the project cost.